Successor
by FemaleSpock
Summary: Rocket was more like Aarch than he had first appeared to be. Pairings included/referenced: Rocket/Tia, Rocket/Lun-Zia, Rocket/Sinedd, Aarch/Adium, Aarch/Artegor, Aarch/Simbai, Aarch/Keira, Norata/Keira.


Successor 

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Galactik Football and I make no money from this fanfiction.**

Rocket had always idolised Aarch, the Uncle that he'd never met, his father's estranged brother. Aarch was a polarising figure on Akillian; people loved him, people hated him- everyone remembered him. He had become something of a legend because there was something so glamorous and intriguing about his story- it wasn't really about the football. Norata had become a florist; there was nothing exciting about that.

Because of his absence he'd ceased to be a person in the minds of the Akillian people, he was held up as an ideal or, more commonly, berated as the worst sort of traitor. Rocket didn't think that though, he couldn't help but put his Uncle on a pedestal- his father was so bitter and bad-tempered that it was natural that he would ascribe all good qualities to his next nearest relation.

Of course, Rocket also admired Aarch's career- he'd been Akillian's best, there was no doubt about that. He didn't agree that leaving for the Shadows to further his career had been wrong either, it seemed like a natural move; it wasn't like there was an Akillian team to play for. Rocket would dream of being like Aarch, knowing it was just a dream, there were no opportunities on tiny Akillian. Even if there were, there zero chance that Norata would, ever, even consider allowing Rocket to pursue football.

The first time they met, Aarch commented that Rocket looked a lot like Norata had when he was younger. Rocket had replied that he'd rather look like him and he had meant it at the time. He could see nothing but bad in being like Norata.

Still, upon joining the Snow Kids, he found that Aarch was really quite different to how he had imagined him, in his imagination he had been perfect and there was really no such thing as a perfect human being.

He'd been Captain of the Snow Kids, Aarch had once been Captain, but the similarities seemed to end there. Aarch was an authority, he commanded attention, and he managed people so easily. It had taken Rocket ages before he started getting along with the team, they'd hadn't even accepted him as Captain at first. He'd thought that becoming a footballer would make his life perfect.

That was the first sign that he was more like Aarch than he appeared to be at first glance.

The problem was that it wasn't enough, it had never been enough for Aarch and it would never be enough for Rocket. Nothing was ever enough.

Rocket had thought Tia was enough, he loved her after all, but he was wrong. He started seeing Sinedd on the side, he found that fulfilling for a time- Sinedd was darkness where Tia was light and hence his need for both was sated. It hadn't stopped him from moving on to Lun-zia. Rocket didn't have any way of knowing this but Aarch had done the exact same thing years ago, even in the same order; the Akillian girlfriend, the black haired boy who ran off to the Shadows, the woman from Wambas. It was eerie how similar it all was.

Aarch wasn't blind; he could see the parallels in everything, including Rocket's abandonment of the team for Netherball- hadn't he done the same thing with running off to the Shadows? Luckily it took Rocket far less time to realise what he had left behind. He'd advised him when he'd been having a hard time with Tia, seeing his nephew repeat his mistakes all over again wasn't a scenario he was enthralled about. He'd thought it had worked. But now it seemed that Rocket and Tia were in trouble again.

He knew it was up to him to speak to Rocket about it, not only as a Coach, but as an Uncle. He'd promised Norata that he'd look after the boy and that was what he was going to do.

"Rocket, can I speak to you," he said, drawing him aside one afternoon after practice.

"Uncle?"

"Listen, Rocket, you can't continue like this, so let me give you some advice."

"Is there something wrong with the way I'm playing?" Rocket asked, worriedly.

"No, it's about Tia. Rocket, you can't continue treating her like this. Now, this may not be any of my business but trust me when I say that it's not worth it. You have to decide what you really want, who you really want. If you really love Tia then stop messing her around. She's not going to put up with it for much longer."

"I...uh… thanks, Uncle Aarch," Rocket replied, knowing he had been caught out.

"No problem, you can come to me with anything- I want to tell me if you feel ill again," Aarch took a more serious tone.

"Sure but I feel great," Rocket said walking off, looking like he was bursting with energy.

Looks could be deceiving though and Aarch had a terrible feeling that Rocket wouldn't take his advice. He knew he would never have listened even had anyone tried to stop his self destructive behaviour. He'd pretended everything was fine way back when but he'd known all along what the Smog had done to him. He only hoped that Rocket wouldn't let his illness get to the point that his had gotten to.

He just wished that Rocket was more like Norata and less like him.

Years ago...

Keira looked upon her son for what would be the last time for 15 years. He provoked such conflicting emotions in her. Her mothering instincts were telling her to stay for she did love this child but on the other hand she found it hard to look upon him with the knowledge that he might not be Norata's son. He had become a symbol of her betrayal of Norata, a betrayal she bitterly regretted but had never informed him of. The night she spent with his brother, Aarch. She had been so stupid, she and Norata had had a terrible argument but that didn't justify what she had done. He was his brother and she couldn't have thought of anything worse that she could have done.

He'd just been there, she'd needed comfort and he'd just been there. She didn't dare ask what had been going through his mind, he had a girlfriend, and he got along well with Norata so it wasn't revenge. It didn't matter anyways. It had been the biggest mistake of her life, or so she had thought.

She'd made up with Norata quickly and of course she didn't tell him about it, it just hung there, above her head like a permanent ghost. She couldn't stand deceiving him but she knew the alternative was worse. Her happiness at her pregnancy was marred with doubts as to who the father was. There was no way to be sure, she just prayed that the baby wouldn't come out looking like a little Aarch.

When Rocket was born she was relieved to find that he looked like her rather than either brother. It was short lived though, she'd thought that she could just ignore her conscience but seeing having her son, so innocent in her arms made her feel even more ashamed. She told herself it would be better for both Rocket and Norata if she just left, she'd always wanted to pursue acting- that was her excuse.

So she made an even bigger mistake and left for Akillian for a new life…

**That's it for this fic! I'm not really sure where the Aarch/Keira bit came from, I think it's just that my subconscious wants to mess up all the relationships of the older generation on Galactik Football for whatever reason…if I ever write Aarch/Norata you have permission to shoot me! So yeah, I'm not that happy with this, please review to let me know what you think. **


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